In Dakar, students at Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) are facing a new postponement of the start of the academic year. After five months of closure following demonstrations linked to the conviction of opponent Ousmane Sonko, the management of the university city decided to postpone the reopening of the campus until early January 2024. This decision aroused indignation among students, who believe that it compromises their future and the future of education in Senegal.
The university authorities justified this postponement by the need to carry out renovation work and security improvements on the campus. However, according to Ala Khane, president of the association of the faculty of letters and human sciences, this justification does not hold. He points out that other universities, even in more difficult contexts, have managed to maintain their academic activities. He cites the example of kyiv University in Ukraine, which has not been closed despite the ongoing conflict.
The reaction of the students was not long in coming. Ala Khane calls on all students in Senegal to mobilize and block education throughout the national territory to make their voices heard. He believes that the academic year must be saved at all costs because students are the future of the country. He denounces the fact that universities are closed for political reasons and calls on all universities in Senegal to unite to defend the student cause.
However, this mobilization is already facing obstacles. A press conference of student associations held on the UCAD campus was quickly dispersed by the police using tear gas. This repression raises new concerns about respect for student rights and the guarantee of free and peaceful expression.
In conclusion, the decision to postpone the reopening of the UCAD campus until early January 2024 arouses strong discontent among Senegalese students. The latter believe that their future is compromised and are calling for national mobilization to assert their rights. Their fight to safeguard the academic year and education in Senegal is crucial for the future of the country.